Image source, Getty Images
Euro 2024 and Copa America 2024 are over – and the Premier League season starts in four weeks on Friday 16 August.
Pre-season is already underway, with Nottingham Forest having already played a friendly and Manchester United in action on Monday afternoon.
Because England and Spain reached the Euros final on Sunday, and Premier League stars featured as Argentina beat Colombia in South America’s showpiece, many Premier League clubs will be without several key players while they take an expected three-week break.
BBC Sport chief football news reporters Simon Stone says: “The 2024-25 season ends with Fifa’s expanded 32-team Club World Cup, the final of which is played on 13 July – almost exactly a year on from today.
“No wonder players’ union bosses are not happy.”
BBC Sport looks at some of the data.
Manchester City players had the most minutes at Euro 2024
This summer there are three Premier League clubs going to Asia and 10 heading to the United States; including Chelsea and Manchester City, who will be competing in the expanded Club World Cup in June 2025.
City have the highest number of potential fixtures (79) in this next 365 days.
- Five pre-season games, including the Community Shield
- 38 Premier League games
- Up to six in the EFL Cup if they reach the final
- Up to six in the FA Cup if they reach the final
- Up to 17 in the Champions League – if they finish second in the group in the new format
- Seven in the Club World Cup
Speaking immediately after the Euro 2024 final, England and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham said: “You know, it’s so tough these days with, the crazy schedules and then coming together for the end of the season, for one last tournament.
“It’s difficult on the body, you know, mentally, physically you’re exhausted.”
Bournemouth had the most players at Euro 2024
Who needs a rest the most after this summer?
‘Relentless schedule is completely unsustainable’
The players union, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) is part of a legal action against Fifa over the “overloaded and unworkable” football calendar.
Chief executive Maheta Molango told BBC Sport on Monday: “The schedule is absolutely relentless and completely unsustainable. That is why legal action has been needed in order to say ‘enough is enough’. Players cannot just keep being pushed to their absolute limits.
“Football fans want events like the European Championships to feel special. Players want to be able to go to these tournaments and to feel that they are being given an opportunity to be at their best.
“Everyone in football knows the calendar is broken. A complete reset is now needed.”